Orthodontic appliance



Aug. 18, 1925.

I 5. H. ANGLE ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCE Filed March 5, 1925 llllllih. mmml Patented Aug.1 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES EDWARD n. ANGLE, or PASADENA, cALfFonmA.

onrnononrro APPLIANCE Application filed March 3, 1925. Srial No. 12,828.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ED'WARD a'citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in v Orthodontic Appliances, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention'is applicable to the art of correcting the position of inalposed teeth of the dental arch, and particularly relates to that class of devices in which an arch-bar is adjustably supported at its opposite terminals' by anchorages clamped to suitably disposed posterior teeth or molars, and is es pecially directed to the means by which said arch-bar is connected, intermediate of its ends, with selected teeth of the dental arch.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a tooth engaging band with an arch-bar attaching bracket of such pro-portions and of such reduced bulk, or size, as to afford a minimum interference with the lips and checks, whereby a consequent lessening of discomfort and inconvenience to the wearer is effected.

Other objects of my invention are to provide the tooth-band with a bracket that is so constructed and arranged as to afford such a reinforcement for said band as to require no supplemental stiffening or thickening of the tooth-band as has been commonly employed. I

My invention comprehends an arch-bar attaching bracket, the construction of which is ideally adapted to be conveniently soldered, to the tooth-band, and to afford such a tenacious attachment therewith, that any- 40 possible movement of the tooth, to which the nd may be fitted, may be effected without danger of distortion pliance.

Further objects of my invention are to 5 provide a tooth-band with a bracket having means cooperative to so firmly lock an archbar therein as to insure the firm, accurate and positive movements of either the crown or root of a tooth in any desired direction, and thereby so facilitate the co operative action of the arch-bar that it may as readily effect the movement of teeth lingually, l abially and buccally, or they may be rotated or fracture of the ap H. th NGLE,

=or tipped; transversely with respect to their axes, and may be as readily force d laterally in the directionof the length of the arch bar with equal accuracy of movement.

Specifically stated, the form of my in- 'vention as hereinafter described, comprises a tooth-band provided with a bracket, of substantially rectangular oblong configuration, extended transversely across said toothband, and having a slot opening outwardly therefrom, into which an arch-bar may be snugly fitted by movement laterally with respect to said tooth-band, and also havmg oblique re atively diverging apertures affording guides'through which the ends of a wire ligature may be passed and drawn taut to form a loop transversely embracing said arch-bar, and affording a retaining lock for said arch bar, when the projecting end portions of said ligature are bent over against the ends of said bracket and clipped oil to afford loop retaining prongs.

.My invention also includes all of the various novel features of construction and arrangement as hereinaften more definitely specified. V

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of the upper human dental arch, showing a convenient embodiment of my, invention attached to selected teeth of said'dental arch; Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the one of the tooth attachments comprising a tooth-band extended in a plane and an arch-bar attaching bracket, constructed according to my invention, attached thereto; Fig. 3 is a front elevationalview of the tooth attachment shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a transverse sec tional view of said tooth attachment, taken on the line 4-4 in Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 4,

3 in its initial form extended ip this invention is especially applicable is indicated in a general way in Fig. 1, and includes, together with associated parts, an arch-bar 1 bent to substantially conform to the dental arch and having its extremities provided with tangs 2 and extended through anchor sheaths 3, with which said tangs may be engaged-to retain the archbar 1 in adjusted position, and which are carried by the anchor-bands 5, of well known construction.

As shown in Fig. 1, the anchor bands 5 are attached to the first molar teeth 6, which serve asanchor abutments upon opposite sidesof the dental arch, said bands being provided with an eye 7 at one end, and at the other end, a threaded stem 8 extended through said eye and arranged to be adjusted therein by the nut 9 to clamp the band 5 upon said abutment teeth 6, as is obvious.

The gist of my invention resides in the means of securing the arch-bar 1 to the malposed teeth 10 in the dental arch, and comprises the tooth-band 11 and its arch-bar attaching bracket 13, shown in Figs. 2 and a plane, and arranged to be cut to the ngth desired as indicated by the transverse dotand-dash lines or the oblique dash lines thereon shown, and formed into the tooth embracing ring as shown by the circular dot-and-dash lines as indicated in Fig. 2.

As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the'bracket- 13 may be formed of a substantially rectangular piece of metal having its rear wall 14 affording an uninterrupted plane surface coextensive with the extreme dimensions of said bracket, which not only affords a tenacious solder joint with the tooth-band 11, but also provides such a. reinforcement for said tooth-band as to eliminate the necessity of any auxiliary reinforcement as heretofore employed.

The front or outer wall 15 of the bracket 18 is provided with the deeply cut or depressed slot 16 extending transversely through the body of said bracket and in parallel relation to the length of said toothband, and so nearly bisecting the bracket body as to afford but a relatively thin web 17, suflicient only to insure the required rigidity, yet permitting the arch-bar to so closely approach the tooth-band as to conserve space and thereby minimize the oxtentof projection of the regulating appliances in the mouth of the patient.

The bracket 13 is also provided with the I relatively divergent apertures 18 and 19 forming passageways which may preferably be cylindrical and extended therethrough in a plane transverse to said slot, and having their respective'forward o enings dis osed in the outer wall 15, closely a j acent to t e opposite edges of the slot 16, and their innero cn- 20 and the lowerwall 21 of said bracket, or the opposite walls forming the ends of said bracket that are parallel with the length of said slot 16.

As shown in section in Fig. 5 and in perspective in Fig. 6, the apertures or passageways 18 and 19 provide suitable guides through which the opposite ends of a piece of wire ligature arranged to form a retaining lock, may be threaded or passed to provide a retaining 100 22 which is arranged to embrace the archar 1, and when drawn taut and the projecting free extremities of said ligature, forming the prongs 23 and 24, are bent over to engage the upper and lower walls 20 and 21 respectively, as best shown in Fig. 5, serves as a lock to rigidly retain said arch-bar in the slot 16, in such rigid relation with the bracket 13 as to prevent their relative movement.

As shown in the several figures, the slot 1.6 in the bracket 13 opens outwardly from the tooth-band and consequently afi'ords convenient access thereto for the easy manipulation of the arch-bar with respect thereto, irrespective of the shape and position of said arch-bar which is shown engaged in the slot in Fig. 6.

Thus it will be obvious that'while the ligature lock, as best shown in Fig.5, firmly holds the arch-bar 1 in the slot 16 and engages it rigidly with the bracket 13, it may be readily loosened to release said arch-bar for longitudinal adjustmenflby turning the free projecting prongs 23 and 2 1 in parallel relation with the plane of the tooth-band, or in relative alinement, and with a pair of pliers engaging the loop 22, draw said loop outwardly sufiicient to )ermit the desired adjustment of said archbar.

My invention is advantageous in that the bracket serves as a reinforcement affording a maximum solder attaching surface, and provides a uniform three-surface engagement with the arch-bar, which snugly fits therein, and which may be readily shaped and adjusted to engage therewith from the outer side thereof.

Furthermore, the bracket attachment affords such a positive locking means comprising the ligature wire lock, that said archbar may be so rigidly engaged with the bracket as'to insure an ideal torque power in any desired direction, whereby the movement of the tooth roots either labially or lingually, and the tipping mesiall 1 or distally of the crowns and roots, as wel as the rotation of the tooth, may be effected with equal facility. In fact, every possible desired movement of the teeth may be readily ac- (-rmiplishcd thereby.

I do not desire to limit my invention to the precise details of construction and arrangement as herein specified, as it is obvious ings respectively disposed in the upper walls that various modifications may be made 1 0 therein without departing from the essential features of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: p

1. An orthodontic appliance comprising a tooth-band bracket having an arch-bar receiving slot, and having relatively divergent apertures extended from said slot through the body of said bracket, said apertures affording guides through which an arch-bar retaining ligature may be threaded.

2. An orthodontic appliance comprisinga tooth-band bracket having an arch-bar receiving slot, and having relatively divergent apertures extended from said slot through the body of said bracket in a plane. transverse to said slot, said apertures affording guides through which an arch-bar retaining ligature may be threaded.

3. An orthodontic appl iance comprising a tooth-band bracket having an arch-bar receiving slot in its outer face, and havin relatively divergent apertures extende from said slot through the body of said bracket, said apertures affording guides through which an arch-bar retaining ligature may be threaded.

4. Anorthodontic appliance comprising a tooth-band bracket having an arch-bar receiving slot, and having apertures extended through the body of said bracket from the opposite sides of said slot in divergent relation, said apertures affording guides through which an arch-bar retaining ligature may be threaded.

5. An orthodontic appliance comprising a tooth-band bracket having an arch-bar receiving slot in its outer face, and having apertures extending from the opposite sides of said slot through said. body in divergent relation, said apertures affording guides through which an arch-bar retaining ligature may be threaded.

6. An orthodontic appliance comprising a. tooth-band bracket having an arch-bar receiving slot in its outer face, and having relatively divergent apertures extending through the body of said bracket and terminating in relatively opposite sides, and approximating the rear face of said bracket, said apertures afl'ording guides through which an arch-bar retaining ligature may bethreaded.

7. An orthodontic appliance comprising a tooth-band bracket having an arch-bar receiving slot in its outer face, and having apertures extending through the body of said bracket and opening through said outer face and through the relatively opposite sides which are parallel with said slot, said apertures affording guides through which an arch-bar retaining ligature may be threaded.

8. An orthodontic appliance comprising a tooth-band bracket provided with an archbar attachment having an arch-bar receiving slot in its outer face, and having relatively divergent apertures extended through the body of said attachment from the opposite sides of said slot and opening through the upper and lower walls of said attachment, and a lock arranged to rigidly retain an arch-bar in said slot and comprising a loop embracing said arch-bar, having prongs extended through said apertures and bent into cooperative engagemenowith said attachment to retain said loop taut about said archbar.

9. An orthodontic appliance comprising a tooth-band bracket having an arch-bar receiving slot in its outer face, and having divergent guides arranged to directthe ends of a ligature in such position as to afford a loop embracing an arch-bar in said slot, with diverging prongs extended therefrom, and the free extremities thereof bent to engage the opposite sides of said attachment and form a lock arranged to retain said arch-bar in said slot.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of February, A. D. 1925.

EDWARD H. ANGLE. 

